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Waltons Wiki
Welcome to the Waltons Wiki This wiki concerns the past, present and future of the Waltons building (formerly Overells Building) in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Fortitude Valley has seen an enormous change in appeal over the last 50 years mirrored in urban areas throughout the western world. From being highly desirable as both a retail and residential area between the 1890s and the 1950s, the area struggled with the rise of the more popular suburban shopping and residential areas. The area lost both shoppers and residents in huge numbers until it became synonymous with undesirable inner city vice in the 1970s. Properties were largely not maintained by uninterested owners, eventually offloaded and cheaply bought. In the 1980s, the Brisbane City Council began a series of revitalisation programs to 'clean up' the area which continues today. Fortitude Valley is now perceived as a 'character' area and is more popular as a residential and retail area. A university lecturer and two nurses who are sisters built a property empire in Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba starting in the mid-1960s. Their current residential portfolio of more than 35 properties was almost all acquired by the early 1970s. They acquired the Waltons building in the mid-1980s. It has been largely empty since 1988 and has fallen into disrepair. They have a policy of "buy and hold forever" and have left this building the worst in the Valley. In contrast, the Brisbane City Council Fortitude Valley Local Plan states: "Landmarks and vistas of local and city wide significance must be maintained and enhanced. Significant landmarks include, but are not limited to ... McWhirters, Waltons and TC Beirne buildings." So what has happened? Only public sources have been used in the research for this wiki, including: *Newstext.com.au searches for early Courier Mail and City News articles *State Library of Queensland: Historical White Pages, telephone directories, electoral roll in microfiche form, and databases for newer Courier Mail and City News articles *Queensland State Archives *National Archives *University of Queensland Libraries: catalogue, SS&H (UQ Calendar, electoral roll in paper form), Engineering & Science and Fryer *Zentralblatt *ASIC and ABR *CITEC Confirm for Queensland property, title and ASIC company searches *Google, especially Google Books and Google Scholar *National Library of Australia Trove for early newspaper searches *Brisbane and Gold Coast City Council Planning and Development sites *Brisbane City Council Heritage Register, only available in physical form at BCC libraries *skyscrapercity.com discussion boards *Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management Valuation site *brisbanetimes.com.au articles and discussions *Queensland e-courts party search and Supreme Court registry Addresses 240 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley ("I Life Factory", "Voodoo Lulu", "A and J Trading"). The Unimproved land value was $6,200,000 as at 30 June 2010 (valuation date 1 October 2009); site value $5,500,000 (valuation date 1 October 2010). The address without spaces (without the suburb name) followed by dot com is the home page of the associated real estate agent. 238 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley 250 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley ("Overell Building") 248 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley (formerly "Hyundai Gift Centre", now at 200 Wickham St) Timeline *1883. Overells established by William James Overell (1854 - 1917) at 700 Ann Street, afterwards occupied by Wildman Bros Plumbers and BCC Stores. *1900. Overells moves to its current location in Wickham St and Brunswick St. *1904. 10 February. A fire extensively damages the store. *c1911. The current store is constructed (according to Planning and Development - Brisbane City Councils) *1927. 14 September. Brisbane Courier: "The rapid expansion of the business of Overells' Ltd., Wickham-street, Valley, has necessitated increasing the height of the firm's drapery emporium to five stories above the basement." *1956. Overells bought by Waltons. *1973. 8 March. Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub fire in Fortitude Valley, referred to by Mount Cathay in 2009 complaint below. *1976. 13 May. The Brisbane City Council writes to Waltons and approves their request to close Overell's Lane to vehicular traffic. Mount Cathay refers to this letter in 2009 complaint below. *1983. 17 October. CNS Holdings Pty Ltd and JNL Management Pty Ltd are established. *1983. 1 November. Mount Cathay Pty Ltd is established. *1984. 28 March. Mount Cathay leases the buildings to Waltons Stores for three years starting at $330,000 / year increasing by 5% a year. Edmund Thomas Traynor (director) and Keith Robert Stewart (secretary) sign for Waltons and Joyce Lee (director) and Nancy Lee (secretary) sign for Mount Cathay. *1984. 6 April. Courier Mail: "THE Waltons-Bond property at the Brunswick and Wickham Street corner, Fortitude Valley, has been sold for $2.65 million.The property, with about 13,000 square metres of retail, office and storage space, was sold by Amalgamated Securities Limited and Overells Limited, on a leaseback deal to Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited. Agent Tom Chan and Associates would not disclose the identity of the buyer." *1987. 28 March. The lease is renewed for two years at $377,900 / year increasing by 5% a year. Edmund Thomas Traynor and John William Long sign for Waltons and Nancy Lee (attorney) signs for Mount Cathay. *1987. May. Waltons becomes Norman Ross. *1987. 21 August. Comino solicitors write to Dawson Waldron that the rent hasn't been paid. *1987. 8 October. Comino: "there is an alleged Legionaires (sic) Disease problem with the air conditioning plant". *1988. March. Norman Ross has its closing down sale. The lease is assigned from Waltons to Venture. *1988. 20 April. Comino: "Your client clearly is obliged to maintain the premises and to keep them free and in repair." (!) *1988. 13 May and 16 May. Comino solicitors writes to Blake Dawson Waldron: "Many areas of the building are untidy ... The building is being allowed to fall into disrepair ... flooding has been caused in the basement area" (!!) *1988. 3 June. Builder Ron Neal does an inspection for Mount Cathay to report on the condition of the building. *1988. 14 June. Mount Cathay issues a writ against Waltons, Norman Ross, and Venture Stores seeking "An injunction restraining the defendants ... from damaging demolishing removing or otherwise interfering with the fixtures and fittings and other property of the Plaintiff": "the premises are untidy and unclean ... the activities in the premises cannot by any stretch of the imagination be described as "a retail department store of a comparable department store operating in the metropolitan area of Brisbane" ... under the terms of the lease, your client is to maintain the interior and exterior of the premises in good and substantial repair and condition" (!!!) *1988. 20 June. Judgment issued: "Defendants are restrained from damaging, demolishing, removing or otherwise interfering with the fixtures and fittings and other property of the Plaintiff." *1989. 24 November. Courier Mail, letter to the editor from Jeanette Smith: "It makes me sick to see what the Waltons store has been reduced to when I remember how lovely it was a few years ago. How on earth were so many fifth-grade, little businesses allowed to operate in one area? A mish-mash of junk surrounded by dirty, dung-colored buildings. I felt dirty just being there." *1991. 26 July. Mount Valley Management Pty Ltd and Mount Valley Pty Ltd are established. *1991. 10 November. Courier Mail: "A 34-storey residential building over the Fortitude Valley railway station in Brisbane has been proposed to bring residents back to the area. ...Mr Keith McDonnell, a director and spokesman for the company proposing the development, Mount Valley Management Pty Ltd, said the development was proposed for the former Waltons building site. …The residental tower will cater for a maximum of 500 people. He said such a density was the only way to ensure viability of the project. The retail arcades connect to Brunswick and Wickham Streets and the Valley Centre Plaza and provide access to the Brunswick Street Railway. ... Ald Soorley said yesterday the building did not have City Council approval and in its existing form fell outside the guidelines of the Town Plan. We are interested in facilitating development of the Valley which is both sensible for the city and profitable for the developer, he said." *1991. 17 November. Courier Mail: "THE Fortitude Valley trader association responsible for the marketing and management of the Valley and Chinatown malls has put its weight behind a proposed 34-storey residential and retail development for the area. Mount Valley Management Ltd outlined its plan for the $40m development on the old Waltons building site last week. In a letter to the company, Valley Business Association president Mr Richard Zammit said the association was happy to see some firm progress in the area of development of disused sites in the Valley region. Mr Zammit said the proposed project had the ability to be the major catalyst for other development in the area. " *1993. 8 August. Courier Mail: "There is also speculation that a major residential building over the Fortitude Valley railway station proposed for the former Waltons site is being revised after initial rejection by the council. The project initially knocked back was a $40 million 34-storey building with a residential tower component. A revised development proposal for the site is expected to be put forward in the near future." *1997. 4 July. Courier Mail: "TWO of Fortitude Valley's landmark properties, the former Waltons department store site and the Sunday Sun premises, are on the market for redevelopment in what has become a burgeoning urban renewal precinct. Vendor Mt Cathay Pty Ltd is offering the property freehold under two purchase scenarios." See 1997 Courier Mail article. *1998. Mount Cathay starts complaining about their neighbours at 256 Wickham Street. *2005. 3 October. Mount Cathay writes to James Heading of the Brisbane City Council (complaints concerning Overell's Lane, see below). *2006. 5 March. Sunday Mail: "Drug dealing, fights, drunkenness . . . it's our 100m of misery. DRUG pushers ply their trade in the open as shoppers brush by, arguments break out as deals go bad, drunks slump unconscious in doorways -- all within metres of a manned police beat." *2006. 16 March. City News: "A commercial landlord has come under fire for allowing a Fortitude Valley strip to descend into a haven for drug-dealers and other anti-social behaviour." See 2006 City News Article. *2008. 24 June. Skyscrapercity.com: "another part of the building they can fix up is the line of 2 dollars shop sic and the westpac building. aparently sic a cranky old asian man owns it and he dosnt sic want to do jack." *2008. 18 July. Mount Cathay writes to Jane Prentice of the Brisbane City Council (complaints concerning Overell's Lane, see below). *2009. 5 November. An anonymous Mount Cathay Pty Ltd "liason" sic officer complains to the BCC (Development application A002228766): "Grave concerns supported by photographic evidence were raised on public health and safety in OVERELL LANE caused by the occupiers of 256 Wickham Street. ... There were numerous correspondence and evidence sic to show Overell Lane was severely damaged by construction work in 2006 carried out by the proprietor of 256 Wickham Street. The property of Mount Cathay Pty Ltd. was unlawfully trespassed sic and damaged during the said work. The ongoing issues of safety and maintenance on Easement no. H243890 since 1998 with the Grantee, the Body Corporate of Happy Valley BUP 102240, as shown by many correspondence. sic" *2010. 29 September. Courier-Mail: Douglas Wood of Boondall wrote: "When I was a young bloke, I often went to the Valley which was a major shopping centre. The shops were clean and well presented. I am disgusted with the Valley as it is now. It is filthy, smelly, the shops look dirty and rundown and in need of fresh paint. There are ripped and torn posters hanging everywhere. I don't know who is responsible but someone needs to get their act together and restore the Valley to what it once was." *2010. 9 October. Courier-Mail: Margaret Lane of Curra wrote: "Walking towards Fortitude Valley station, past the old Waltons store, is sickening. It is sad to see it go this way. We too will not be going there again. It is not inviting at all." *2011. 30 March. Independent: "A long-term and respected local business identity wants Fortitude Valley rid of the eyesore Waltons building – either cleaned up or preferably redeveloped – and support for his campaign is spreading." See Independent article *2011. 12 May. Brisbanetimes.com.au publishes an article on how to fix the valley mall but many comments call for cleaning the Waltons building. David Hinchliffe of the city council responds: "Council does NOT have the power to make the owner of the Walton's building renovate or re-develop. Council's powers in relation to the outward appearance of buildings are limited to buildings that front the malls. I've suggested that we seek powers from the State to allow Council to have such a power outside the malls." John Fraser of Kedron responds: "The BCC has more than enough powers to issue Show Cause Notices on the Waltons building." *2011. 14 June. City News publishes an article: BRISBANE'S Fortitude Valley is descending into filth. "Cr David Hinchliffe cited the arcade from the Valley Metro train station and across the air-bridge to McWhirters as a private property area in a constant state of filth and disrepair. "Broken glass, bodily fluids, litter, rotting foods, you name it, it's there," he said." *2011. 4 July. The Independent publishes an article about the correspondence between Jack Moc and Greg Scroope. Mr Scroope said he had met 10 days earlier with property owner Jack Moc who “owns the building that holds Cafe One and who has the administrative and management rights for the area between the air bridge linking McWhirter’s through to the Valley Metro Shopping Centre”. David Hinchliffe talks about "asking council for a ruling on whether council does have the power to make property owners in the Valley clean up filthy premises." *2011. 7 July. David Hinchliffe speaks to The Independent again: "There are some property owners who are simply holding the Valley back. If properties look unloved as many properties in the Valley do, then it sends the wrong message to everyone else in that community." *2011. 20 July. The Independent addresses Jack Moc on the front page asking him to "Come Clean" about the state of the walkway from the Valley Metro to Wickham Street. The editor offers him space in the 3 August issue to respond. *2011. 7 September. The Courier-Mail publishes a story about Grace Grace , the Member for Brisbane Central, describing some buildings of Fortitude Valley as "derelict and filthy". Pictures of the Waltons building feature prominently in both the online and paper versions. The Hansard transcript is available on the Queensland Parliament website. "The Brisbane City Council is taking no action on derelict and filthy buildings and public spaces, giving visitors to the Valley a very bad first impression, and as we know first impressions often last." Pictures In May 2011, nathandavid88 took nine pictures of the exteriors which are available at Skyscrapercity.com. People and companies The building is currently owned by Mount Cathay Pty Ltd as written about in a 1997 Courier Mail article and a 2006 City News Article. Mount Cathay Pty Ltd is presumably named after Mount Street, Toowong, where the Lees live / lived and they and their companies own six of the 26 properties. The sole director of Mount Cathay Pty Ltd is Nancy Lee (born 1940), who is also a director of JNL Management Pty Ltd. Presumably, JNL refers to Joyce and Nancy Lee. CNS Holdings Pty Ltd (presumably standing for Chiu and Nancy) is a member of Mount Cathay Pty Ltd. CNS Holdings, JNL Management, Mount Cathay Pty Ltd, Mount Valley Pty Ltd, and Mount Valley Management Pty Ltd have equivalent ASIC histories since 2005. Mount Cathay Pty Ltd is, or has been, associated with Chiu-Fan, Nancy and Joyce Lee. Mount Cathay Pty Ltd and Chiu Fan Lee have been involved in several legal cases in the Queensland District and Supreme Courts since 1988. Questions The research raises many questions: *What drives people to "collect" properties on this scale? What is the point? Can they take the properties with them after they die, or leave them to their family? Shouldn't wealth be used for the betterment of society instead of just enriching oneself or hoarding? *Why doesn't the owners' self-interest work in the case of the Waltons building? Why don't they clean it or attempt to redevelop? Is part of the reason they don't do anything due to having been able to remain "anonymous" until now? *A land tax would kill this kind of speculation outright. Is a land tax or council / government intervention the only way to solve this problem? *After lives spent helping people in a productive capacity nursing and teaching, is the Lees' legacy just going to be this rundown building? Is this what people will remember them for? *Do enough people know about searches like CITEC Confirm for property? Should property data be available at even lower cost to the public? What to do The current condition of the building shows a great lack of imagination and creativity on the part of the owner. It is inertia on the part of the community that allows him to continue doing nothing. Imagine what Brisbane would look like if all owners kept their buildings in such a condition, speculating in the hope of capital gain. *Who can do something? Even with current by-laws, just based on a cursory inspection of the lane, the ceilings in the Brunswick St stores, and the exterior of the Wickham St building, there are numerous health and safety problems. However, the BCC seems unwilling or unable to issue a Show Cause notice. *Perhaps the council or state government needs more powers to force owners to fix dilapidated buildings. In the Independent, James Delahunty has suggested council or state legislation similar to the "Building Act 1984" in the UK could be enacted here. Section 79 of this act gives the local authority powers to require the owner to repair dilapidated buildings or demolish them. *The opportunity costs of keeping five floors of the Wickham Street building (~10,000 square metres) empty must be high. Something very strange is going on. Seeing the large amounts of water dripping down from the top of the Wickham St building (visible from Overells Lane), one wonders how much of the rates + water + electricity bill is covered by the rent received. *Geoff Dick commented: "(Dr Lee) just hangs  onto the buildings till they go up in value.". Hence, a recession / depression or a land tax could fix the problem. But it's been 27 years, don't hold your breath. Category:Browse